The lead story in today's Globe (Tories Surge on Harper's Leadership) shows Harper polling way ahead of Dion. Allan Gregg, chairman of The Strategic Counsel, which produced the poll for the usually liberal-loving Globe and CTV News says:
“The thing I'd be very distressed about if I were Dion, is that, not only has he not established any prime-ministerial-in-waiting attributes, he's also got none of the attractive leader attributes.”
More poll info here (CTV).
Obviously, Dion is proving to be a leadership dud, and I would suspect that has much to do with his uncompromising, unrealistic, Halls-of-Academia worldview.
An influential senior Liberal feels Dion should be downplayed. In a front-page Post story ("Party Needs More Image, Less Dion"), Tom Axworthy, a Queen's University professor and aide to former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, agreed to an interview "after CanWest News Service obtained letters he wrote to Mr. Dion and to Liberal party president Senator Marie Poulin insisting the party follow through on a renewal process Mr. Axworthy led during the Liberal leadership campaign."
Mr. Axworthy noted in the letter to the Liberal leader that a study of the 2006 federal election results showed "the party image as a whole" was far more influential than party leader or local candidate in vote choice by Canadians.
I keep hearing warnings from some pundits and Liberals that it would be a grave mistake to underestimate Stephane Dion. In fact just yesterday, the Record featured a glowing tribute (Dion Dilemma Confounding Tory Strategists) to Dion by University of Regina political sociologist and author, J.F. Conway (under subscriber lock):
One thing is clear about Dion. It's dangerous to underestimate him. When he arrived in Ottawa in 1996 he was dismissed as a lightweight. Yet he prevailed over Bouchard. When Paul Martin sidelined him (as a Chrétien loyalist) to the environment portfolio, Dion emerged stronger and more credible than ever. The Liberal establishment, and the Ignatieff and Rae forces, wrote him off as a non-starter. Now Dion is one election away from becoming prime minister.
O.K. Stephane. If that is true, I think the time to start dazzling us would be right about now.
* * * *
Update: Some very disturbing stories showing up on National Newswatch this morning. We may be starting to get an idea why Dion is fighting the extension of the anti-terror measures.
Please read Ex-PM Sought Support of Terrorist Group - Then check out Dust My Broom, who has a very interesting link to a blog entry by Tarek Fatah - "Race and Religion at the Liberal Party Convention".
Now consider this from the Globe! - Dion to Punish MP's Who Back Anti-Terrorism Measures Vote.
At this point, I really wish that Bob Rae was leader of the LPC; even if it meant more problems for the Conservatives. At least we would be safer as a country.
Further Update: Air India victims' families speak out. Dion sure has painted himself in a corner now!
Huge Update!!! - This is unbelievable. From C-News:
Please read Ex-PM Sought Support of Terrorist Group - Then check out Dust My Broom, who has a very interesting link to a blog entry by Tarek Fatah - "Race and Religion at the Liberal Party Convention".
Now consider this from the Globe! - Dion to Punish MP's Who Back Anti-Terrorism Measures Vote.
At this point, I really wish that Bob Rae was leader of the LPC; even if it meant more problems for the Conservatives. At least we would be safer as a country.
Further Update: Air India victims' families speak out. Dion sure has painted himself in a corner now!
Huge Update!!! - This is unbelievable. From C-News:
...But MPs privately complain that the decision was taken by the caucus social justice committee, which is dominated by left-wing Liberals. Most MPs, including those with expertise in national security and human rights matters, were never consulted and were surprised when the decision was presented to them two weeks ago as a fait accompli.
Some privately grouse that Dion has been influenced by militant Sikh and Muslim groups, members of which helped secure his leadership victory last December.
Those complaints were echoed Tuesday by the chairman of the Air India Victims' Families Association.
"It looks like the sympathizers of terrorism have more influence on (Liberals)," Gupta said.
He said Dion may have become "victim of vote bank politics," referring to ethnic bloc voting...
11 comments:
An influential senior Liberal feels Dion should be downplayed. In a front-page Post story ("Party Needs More Image, Less Dion")
It tells you something that Dion is already being marginalized - by his own Party.
Dion is not proving to be the leader that the Liberals have hyped him up to be. The cracks are already starting to show, despite the Liberals telling everyone that they are so very unified.
Cherniak must be very pleased. How many Liberal leader losers can he endorse? Time will tell, lol.
The media is having trouble trying to discern all this independent thinking by Canadians, in spite of their bias.
QP on Sunday had the usual media spin saying Dion must 'take control' of his party,this in response to the goofy Coderre and Holland remarks. Cute that CTV pundits want to 'advise' Dion on how to save the ship.
BTW...these would be the same talking heads that use every chance they can get to make snide remarks about Harper being a 'control freak'.
How's that for irony RT?
anon#31
BTW...these would be the same talking heads that use every chance they can get to make snide remarks about Harper being a 'control freak'.
Control is one of the Liberal 'entitlements'. I'm fairly sure that is in the Charter.
"Liberal loving Globe"... Really? Who did they endorse in the last election, Joanne?
Who did they endorse in the last election, Joanne?.
The only party that they could, in all good conscience.
The Globe did openly admit their bias, Red
But it's not eezee to make priorities!
I went directly to Tarek Fatah's blog entry. Truly frightening.
Truly frightening.
Yes, and not the first time I had heard about this. It was a BT subject of discussion right after the Liberal leadership convention.
Brian in Calgary - Read this!
Brian in Calgary - Read this!
I think I had at the time. But it is even more disturbing now, particularly after reading this bit from your update from C-News:
But MPs privately complain that the decision was taken by the caucus social justice committee, which is dominated by left-wing Liberals. Most MPs, including those with expertise in national security and human rights matters, were never consulted and were surprised when the decision was presented to them two weeks ago as a fait accompli.
Every time one of our Liberal friends tries to paint Harper as a control freak with a hidden agenda, we need to link to these stories and ask them what they'd call him if he tried anything like this stunt of Dion's.
Post a Comment